Korean Dictionary
How to say "Vacation" in Korean
“Vacation” in Korean is 방학 (pronounced "Banghak").
방학
Banghak
Usage & Context
School vacation (방학) in Korea includes summer vacation (여름 방학) in July-August and winter vacation (겨울 방학) in January-February. However, Korean students rarely fully rest during 방학, as most attend hagwons, take extra classes, or go on study programs abroad. For Korean parents, 방학 often means increased education spending rather than relaxation time.
Example Sentence
여름 방학에 여행을 갈 계획이에요.
I'm planning to travel during summer vacation.
How to use 방학 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Vacation” is 방학, romanized as Banghak.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 방학.
Pronunciation Guide
For 방학 (Banghak), 'Bang' sounds like 'bang' in 'bangle'. 'hak' sounds like 'hack' in 'hacker'. The stress is fairly even across both syllables.
More Example Sentences
A student discussing their summer plans.
여름 방학 동안 해외 어학연수를 갈 계획이에요.
I'm planning to go on an overseas language study program during summer vacation.
A parent talking about their children being home from school.
아이들이 방학이라 집이 시끌벅적해요.
The kids are on vacation, so the house is noisy.
A student complaining about homework during break.
겨울 방학 숙제가 너무 많아서 놀 시간이 없어요.
I have so much winter vacation homework that I don't have time to play.
Cultural Context
In Korea, '방학' for students often means an intensive study period rather than a complete break. Many students attend hagwons (private academies), special vacation lectures (방학 특강), or engage in self-study to get ahead or catch up. This reflects the highly competitive nature of the Korean education system, where even breaks are utilized for academic advancement, making 'relaxation' a secondary priority for many students and their parents.
Editorial note
We review entries like 방학 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
방학 숙제
Vacation homework
방학 계획
Vacation plans
방학이 끝나다
Vacation ends
Related Expressions
휴가
Hyuga
Vacation (general, for adults/work)
여름 방학
Yeoreum Banghak
Summer vacation
겨울 방학
Gyeoul Banghak
Winter vacation
개학
Gaehak
Start of school (after vacation)
More Education Words
Master Korean with AI-Powered Learning
Practice Vacation and 10,000+ words with native pronunciation and AI conversation.
